SPICED POTATO CIGARILLOS, Vegan, low-fat, wallet-friendly

Cross-cultural foodies will get a kick out of these punchy canapes... 

 Vegan Indian-style 'chip butties': baked not fried; easy 
'Wow! Really good & spicy; they could be even hotter.' Taster

 updated 02.04.20; O: 27.6.18

Spiced Indian potatoes wrapped in Chinese pastry are oven-baked, not fried, ensuring crispness without grease.  They're much lower in fat than many starters but score high on the 'I-want-more-o-metre!'.

The Potato Cigarillos may not boast the same golden colour that deep-fried starters do but no one will care once they're dipped in the coriander sauce.  After the first tentative bite, the face of 67's taster lit up like a lightbulb.  

Inexpensive potatoes do a good job of soaking up alcohol and if they are as tasty as these cigarillos, that's a bonus.   

The cigarillos are easy to make and, though several Indian spices are used, no exotic (ie expensive) spices are required.  

If you don't have wonton wrappers in the freezer, use phyllo (see Tips below).

Don't bother with the usual fiddly technique of folding in the sides of the pastry before rolling tightly.  Simply shape the spiced potato (photo below) then roll the pastry tightly round it; press or pinch the ends together.  Simples!  Kids will love to help.  

The potato filling and the dip can be prepped up to 2 days ahead; the cigarillos are best formed on the day of baking.

Cost: £2.50 (use leftover spring roll/phyllo pastry for another recipe)
Makes: 12-24 pieces depending on size (recipe multiplies easily)

Ingreds:
   1.5 tbsp vegetable oil

   1/8 tsp mustard seeds (opt)   
   100gm/3.5oz onions

   garam masala: min 1 tbsp (mild) - 
       max 1.5 tbsp (spicy)
   1-2 med cloves garlic, finely grated 
   1/2 tsp curry powder
   1/2 tsp dried ginger 
       (OR 1/4tsp finely grated fresh peeled) 
   1/4 tsp cumin
   1/4 tsp turmeric
   generous pinch chilli flakes (scant 1/8 tsp)

   375gm/13oz cooked potatoes, peeled & mashed
   scant 1/4 cup water or stock
   1/2 cup frozen peas

   

   1/4 lemon, juice & zest
   1/4 tsp dried coriander
   scant 1/8 tsp sumac (opt)
   salt & pepper
   
  20 spring roll wrappers
     (OR equiv phyllo pastry)

Coriander Dip:
    200gm/7oz 0-fat dairy/plant yoghurt 
    4gm(12 stems) fresh coriander
    small clove garlic
    1/2 tsp sugar (opt)

Method:

1. Cook, peel & mash potatoes; cool 
2. Coarsely process onions OR finely dice OR coarsely grate (box grater) 
3. Mix garam, curry, ginger, cumin, turmeric, chilli; set aside
4. Heat a deep frying pan over high; add oil then mustard seeds, if using
5. Reduce heat to med-high; cook until seeds start to crackle & smell fragrant
6. Add onions; stir; cook 2 mins; add garlic & mixed spices; cook a minute more 
7. Lower heat to med; add potato, peas, water; stir well; cook 4-5 mins
8. Take off heat; add lemon juice & zest, dried coriander and sumac, if using 
9. Season with salt & pepper to taste; refrigerate up to 2 days 
10. Whizz dip ingredients in processor or with smoothie maker; refrigerate up to 2 days 
11. When ready to bake, preheat oven or air fryer to 200c/400f.; bring ingreds to room temperature, say 20 mins.   
12. Brush the pastry squares lightly with light veg oil, covering remainder with a damp j-cloth to prevent drying out
13. Dollop a generous tablespoon of filling on one edge; make a sausage shape (kids can help at this stage) 
    
    
    
14. Roll up the pastry tightly - the potato will squash sideways a little - and press or pinch the ends.
15. Place on a baking rack in a tray, covering with another damp j-cloth until all the cigarillos are complete
16. Brush the tops of the cigarillos lightly with oil
17. Bake 20 minutes in centre of the oven or in air fryer lined with foil
18. Halve at an angle
19. Best served warm

Pressed/pinched ends save a world of fiddling

Comments:

'Wow!  These are really really good.  I love spicy things and these could be even hotter for me.  The sauce is a good match.  They are definitely better hot from the oven or microwave!' Campaign Manager

Tips:

• Baking in advance: Reheat at 170c/325f in bottom of oven 10-15 mins OR microwave on high 5 seconds  
• The Blogger found this quite spicy though the taster loved it
• An inexpensive air fryer produced crisp, dry, more crunchy results.  The oven-baked were enhanced by spending the last 5 mins on the top shelf.  

   
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This recipe has  been developed by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises.  It may not be reproduced without the author's written permission.